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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 7991029" data-attributes="member: 16069">We D&D.Session #59 The Rise of Tiamat #18a Rescue at Xonthal’s Tower, maybe...Brothers of the First Light.Lummins (played by Rob) Male Half-Elf Cleric of Lathander Lvl 12Lux (played by Sandy) Female Human Warlock Lvl 12Watt (played by Jackie) Male Human Bard Lvl 12&Hotlips Houlihan (played by Sandy) Female Halfling Rogue Lvl 12Sgt Harald Hardaxe (played by Pete) Male Shield Dwarf Fighter Lvl 12Prisoner of the Red Wizards of Thay-Sgt Bobby Markguth (played by Pete) Male Human Fighter Lvl 12Secondary PCs.Left at 8th Level- we’ll get them back if (and when) they’re needed later on.Derek Pilch (played by Jackie) Male Human Druid Lvl 8Hard Bonk (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Monk Lvl 8This is session #59 of our game, but only session #18a of The Rise of Tiamat scenario.Warning, it gets a little tetchy before the calm.So, the Brothers of the First Light (except for Sgt Bobby- see below) are aboard the Flying Lighthouse which is at present parked close to Xonthal’s Tower. The Flying Lighthouse is (as usual) hidden by a raging thunderstorm.The PCs are in place to make their attempt to rescue Iskander, a Cult of the Dragon turncoat that has in his possession the Blue Dragon Mask, the bargaining chip (he believes) to buy his freedom. Or so the Brothers have been told.However, Halogen- a Deva representative of Lathander has been in touch with Lummins, this via a Commune spell, and informed the Priest that the aforementioned real Blue Dragon Mask is not present at Xonthal’s Tower.Actually, that’s not all Halogen has confirmed or denied- it also seems that Sgt Bobby has been captured (by Orcaheart and his sister, Elsa) and has been whisked away to Thay, where he is being held prisoner- possibly by Szass Tam, the big Red Wizard cheese (and Lich), ruler of the foul territory.Note, if you’d not worked it out- the above events (the capturing of Sgt Bobby) is my version of the Additional Encounter which appears at the start of the module entitled Death at the Council. Elsa (Orcaheart’s sister) is a Succubus, while Orcaheart is… well, you’ll have to read on to find out. Regardless the pair have subdued Sgt B and whisked him off to Thay.Also note I cleared all of this action with Pete (who plays Sgt Bobby) a while back, actually I made a deal with him, but we’ll probably get to that too.Oh, and for the Death at the Council encounter, I just thought that if there’s a Succubus in the building then I’m going to throw her at one of the PCs rather than have the guys attempt to root her out. In yer face… rather than a second hand menace.Now, read on…Last session was a bust, Rob (Lummins) connived with me to make the narrative work, although the session itself was problematic and made even more mundane because of real-world issues. But we’re back on it now, and this time without interruptions.The PC/Player fight is, to begin with- do we turn back around, head to Thay, or Waterdeep, or the Spine of the World mountains, or else… well, what do we do?The verbal fracas between the Players (actually only three of them) that follows is made all the more bizarre because the Players have in total maybe a dozen different plans and suggestions, and eager points that they desperately need to make (which generally involves talking over each other).We get nowhere and are none too fast about it.It’s difficult to say where the session actually starts, and the argument stops, because the above topic has been flung around on e-mail for a while between the last session and this one.Eventually, and I really do mean- eventually, we’re easily forty minutes into the session, and the kindly DM has informed the Players (several times) that the Flying Lighthouse is idling, they’re doing nothing in game time now, and at last there are maybe only two sides left to the argument (sorry, discussion) the Players are having.Which are-1) Let’s forget Xonthal’s Tower and go and rescue Sgt Bobby from Thay, and keep in mind Lord Volmer and his magic tent are still parked in the courtyard of the Flying Lighthouse. Also, Lux and Lummins have been to check and Lord V is keen to Teleport the PCs safely to Thay, so it’s a free ride and achievable in an instant (plus actual rescue time).And...2) Let’s go find out what’s going on at Xonthal’s Tower anyway, this second suggestion doesn’t even get mentioned when the argument about what comes next first kicks off. It’s only later, when Watt wants to know the exact wording of Lummins’ question (during the Commune spell) that this option starts to build a little momentum. Here’s the thing, Lummins (Rob) can’t remember the exact wording of his question regarding the presence (or absence) of the Blue Dragon Mask at Xonthal’s Tower.**Please keep in mind that when we started playing D&D 5e we, more or less, played every week; then- inevitably it dropped down to bi-weekly, at present we guarantee (by hook or by crook) to play twice every month, and have kept to the schedule so far. The problem with this is there are sometimes three weeks (or more between) sessions. Obviously, I record most of these sessions (including the last one) on an old Nagra, and when I forget to do so (or forget to just turn the bloody thing on) I make copious notes after the game.    So, the arguments, such as they are- the fury’s gone, rumble on for a short while more until, eventually, the three PCs/Players arguing come to an agreement.Note I said three PCs and Players in the above- Hotlips (played by Sandy) doesn’t much have an opinion, also Sgt Bobby (and therefore Pete) is in Thay, and therefore contents himself in either grinning or else sloping off to the garden to smoke while his colleagues debate the present situation.So, an agreement- the deal is the Brothers are going to rescue Sgt Bobby (Teleporting to Thay), and then come back to the Flying Lighthouse and make a decision about Xonthal’s Tower, whether or not to venture in.It’s all agreed.That is until Pete (Sgt Bobby) wanders back to the gaming table, and as it turns out- he doesn’t want rescuing yet!What?Which is pretty much what the other Players said at the time around the table, only with more swearing.Here’s the low-down, Pete has done a deal with me (the kindly DM) and has advanced Sgt Harald Hardaxe, his secondary PC, to Level 12. The surly Dwarf is (surprise, surprise) aboard the Flying Lighthouse. Basically, Pete fancies playing the Dwarf Fighter for a while, just to remind himself what (if anything) he’s missing. He’s been looking forward to it… for ages (well, for about three sessions).Therefore, the last 10-15 minutes of the argument/discussion are wiped out in an instant.The other Players are soon after persuaded, this after then kindly DM assures them that he will not move the timeline (for Tiamat’s arrival, or not) forward, until they have completed their investigation of the Tower, and the rescue (or not) of Iskander.Basically, they can have the next bit at Xonthal’s Tower for free.And thus, at last- after nearly an hour of bickering, it comes to pass.Although it’s already time to order the Pizza, therefore while waiting for food to arrive, and then throughout the consumption of the feast the PCs land the away team, as stated above (with Sgt Harald swapped out for Sgt Bobby) and venture into Xonthal Tower village, a small (but well established) settlement that is situated just outside of the hedge maze that surrounds Xonthal’s Tower (proper).The away team don’t bother with their Dragon Cult disguises, they decide they’re playing the part of the good guys. They spend a large proportion of the rest of the day (now they know they’re not against the clock, they’re kicking back) visiting various establishments in the village and talking to a variety of folk. They learn the following-a) The villagers are very guarded, it takes high social skill checks, or else free spending to get them to say much at all.b) The villagers are very much against the Dragon Cult (which they know have been attacking elsewhere on the Sword Coast), although at present they’re keeping their heads down.c) Xonthal’s Tower has been inhabited (they’ve seen lights in and around the Tower) for almost a year now.d) They’ve also heard unearthly noises coming from the Tower, particularly of late (the last few days).e) The villagers where unaware that the present inhabitants of Xonthal’s Tower were members of the Dragon Cult (until the PCs told them). However, that also makes sense of the next bit…f) Some of the villagers recall seeing (some of them on at least two occasions) a great Blue Dragon fly in and hover for a good long while up above the Tower.g) The only way into the Tower of Xonthal is through the hedge maze.This last fact is put to the test for a while, with a flying Lummins (and then also Lux and Watt) failing repeatedly to approach the Tower. The Tower, the PCs eventually decide (after a lot of helping from the kindly DM), exists on another plane of existence.In short, the only way in is through the hedge maze, as they had already been told.Therefore, they approach the area and see the following scene play out…A Human male dressed in black robes stands on the balcony of Xonthal’s Tower, waving something over his head. It's hard to make out details from this distance, but it might be the Blue Dragon Mask (then again, it might not)."Heroes," the figure screams, "they saw you in the village! I've taken the mask, but they'll realize it's missing within minutes! Look for me beneath the tower, for it's the only place I have a chance to hide. This is the key that will let you teleport into the dungeon." As he speaks, the figure holds aloft a second item-some sort of glimmering, white object.* "I will leave it behind after I use it, but others may find it before you do."*I didn’t want the PCs to know that the key they needed was hourglass shaped, I wanted them to have to work a little harder.The speaker suddenly looks over his shoulder as another figure dashes out onto the balcony. A flash of blades and spell-fire erupts. Then the figure who spoke pitches his attacker over the railing before dashing back inside.Dun-dun-derr…The Brothers of the First Light, rush into the hedge maze.But that, already, is the first half of the session done.See you in the next bit.Sorry, but that's what happened- Players!</blockquote>

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